New Delhi: There’s good news for railway passengers in India.
From January 2026, passengers will have the option of changing the travel date of their confirmed train tickets online without any fee being charged, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told NDTV.
As of now, in case travel plans have to be altered for unforeseen reasons, passengers have to cancel their existing ticket and book a new one to change their travel date. Depending on when the cancellation is done, a fee is charged while refunding the ticket fare. Closer the date of cancellation from date of journey, higher is the cancellation charge, which can pinch the passenger’s pocket hard.
“This system is unfair and not in the interest of passengers,” said Vaishnaw, confirming that instructions have been issued to implement the new, passenger-friendly change.
However, there is a catch.
The minister pointed out that there’s no guarantee of getting a confirmed ticket for the new date, as it depends on seat availability. Also, if the new ticket costs more, passengers will have to pay the fare difference.
Millions of passengers, who are used to paying cancellation fees, will benefit from this change.
As per existing rules, cancelling a confirmed ticket 48 to 12 hours before departure results in a 25 per cent deduction from the original fare. The charge increases for cancellations between 12 and 4 hours before departure. Once the reservation chart is prepared, refunds for cancellations are not granted.